Austin Hill Staying Put in RCR Xfinity Series Team

by
Peter Stratta
August 17, 2023

Photo Credit to Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Austin Hill Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension with RCR, Will Stay in No. 21 Chevrolet

WELCOME, N.C. – Announced Thursday, the current Xfinity Series points leader will remain a championship contender in 2024 and beyond. Richard Childress Racing has signed Austin Hill to a multi-year contract extension. The 29-year-old will be kept in the Xfinity Series No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro SS. The news was made official during Thursday’s NASCAR Race Hub show on FOX Sports 1, alongside RCR vice president of competition Andy Petree.

Hill, the Xfinity Series regular season championship points leader, has become a serious title threat in 2022. The 21 has four wins across the season’s first 22 races.

“I’ve found a home at Richard Childress Racing and it’s an honor to be able to continue my career racing for one of the most successful organizations in the garage,” said Hill. “In looking at the next step of my career, I was presented with several opportunities. But it all came down to being surrounded by racers who want to win, believe in me, and will do their best to give me every opportunity to be successful. I want to thank Richard Childress and everyone at RCR and ECR Engines. I’m excited to race for wins and championships within the NASCAR Xfinity Series for years to come.”

The Winston, Georgia native first joined RCR in 2022 and has seen great success with the historic team. Hill has six career Xfinity Series wins, all coming with RCR over the past year-and-a-half. Two of those wins were the last two Xfinity season openers from Daytona. He also has 24 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes since 2022 with crew chief Andy Street and the No. 21 team. Hill finished 2022 sixth in points, and hopes to better that result in 2023. The 21 ended three of 2023’s opening five races in victory lane. Hill more recently won at Pocono in July, and took over the points lead.

“Austin Hill has set a benchmark for competitiveness within the garage and has proven to be a talented racer who wants to win,” said Richard Childress, chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We’re pleased that Austin has found success at RCR and are looking forward to competing for a championship in 2023, 2024, and beyond.”

RCR is a near constant threat for Xfinity wins and championships. Their primary team staying status quo for 2024 is a bit of a shocker. Many thought Hill is ready for a Cup Series opportunity. Hill has made four Cup starts, with a best finish of 18th in his debut with RCR last summer. Hill is also scheduled to make two more Sunday starts later this season with Beard Motorsports. While he will not compete full-time on Sundays in 2024, the future does look bright for Hill. Expect a few deep Playoff runs ahead for the 21 team.